The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-01
SIEGE OF TIE ALAMO.
An Eyewitness Tells the Storm of That
Bloody Fight.


Col. r. L. Crom pton of Roxbury Mass is
probably the only living American who was an
ye-witness of that fearful struggle, and from
him were obtained the facts on which this arti-
Gle is founded He left his Massachusetts home
in the winter of 1884, to hunt fortune in the
West. He started for Lexington, Ky, but fell
in with band bound for Texas to join Col
Travis, near San Antonio de Bexar. He decided
to cast his lot in the struggle for Texan indie
penGence The party was composed largely of
young and fiery Kentuckians and Tennesseeans.
of them hardly more than boys Many
exciting incidents marked their journey. but
they finally reached the great Lone Star State
Young Crompton at once enlisted under Colonel
Milan.
las had gathered sufficient
strength he sad in telling the of the
story, 1--WE attacked the Mexican forces in San
Antonio. They far outnumbered us and a des-
perate struggle ensued. For days we fought in
the streets and among the adobe houses, each
one of which was miniature fortress. With
picks and spades we dug our way through the
walls from house to house. The fight for the
Vereminda house was fierce and bloody. but at
last we drove the Mexicans out and took possess
ion.
Our triumph was soon turned to mourning.
On that very day, Milan, our beloved leader
fell dead. shot by a Mexican who lay concealed
behind wall on the opposite side OF San An
tonic river. We did retain the house long,
the advance of Santa Anna compelled us to
withdraw, leaving Travis with less than I50 men
to garrison the place.
81 shall never forget the day when young
Maverick dashed into our camp with the news
the Alamo and surrounded by an overwhelming
force. While Houston was SO weak he could not
come to the rescue
Il started off to join the imprisoned band. It
was q hopeless undertaking. as l found
when 1 got bullet in 1 crawled away in
the darkness A Mexican whom had oefriended
during our occupation of the city generously
agreed to conceal me in his house. A narrow
widow commanded excellent view of one
front of the Alamo wall, and from this point
could see nearly all of that memorable struggle
Day after day the Mexican fire was kept up,
and time after time their storming col
umns hurried against the old church wall, which
disturb the defenders. At the close of each
day the Lone Star flag foated as proudly and,
apparently, as secure as ever from the roof Of
the mission. The Mexican losses were fearful.
Their clumsy escopetas match for the
long Hawkins rifles. Hundreds fell every day
but they were little missed from that over
who died was an irreparable loss. The line
along the wall grew very thin. Still there
thought Of surrender At length, when
death and wounds had reduced the poor handful
to half its original numbers, the Mexicans af-
fscted Judgement an undefended part of
the wall. Instantly they poured in by hun
dreds.
Although there was now no hope of success
the brave Texans fought steadily and firm
~ as on the first day of the siege. From room
to room went the fight The puny Mexicans
learned by bitter experience the deadly power of
bowie knives aud dubbed rifles in the hands of
desperate Americans. But human endurance
HAS ioS A1 AoukeA Onusa AL Ia WAS mdS-
ter of the Alamo, but not until the last Ameri-
can lay cold in death From my window 1 could
hear the shouts and yells and Sc the struggling
figures.
when all was over begged m host to 60 into
the Alamo and bring me news of all that had
occurred. He came back in ar hour two, and
said that such shambles never had been
before The dead were heaped in wild confusion
throughout the building. The cutters fairly
with blood. In room on the ground floor
the corpse of Col. Bowie He had been butchered
upon mis- sick bed. Not far away from him Was
found the brave and eccentric Davy Crockett.
But the most impressive sight in small
room in the upper story, where the gallant
Travis lay, a bullet-hole in his forehead.
Strewn around him were the corpses of fifteen
Mexicans. who had died by his hand. OF the
Texans not one survived. but they did not die
unavenged. No less than 1600 MeXicans fell
before less than $50 Americans"